


Hidden Danger

by Sand_wolf579



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coma, Dark Magic, Emotional Constipation, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Neglect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 07:01:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28467231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sand_wolf579/pseuds/Sand_wolf579
Summary: When Morgana recognized Douxie at the restaurant she knew she had to do something to keep him from meddling with her plans.
Relationships: Hisirdoux "Douxie" Casperan & Jim Lake Jr., Hisirdoux "Douxie" Casperan & Merlin (Tales of Arcadia)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

Douxie had never been very good at sensing magic, but he had figured out how to find other wizards and hedge wizards. Nine hundred years was a long time, and it got incredibly lonely sometimes, even with Archie as a constant companion. He would have lost his sanity if he had no other company. Finding fellow wizards had been necessary. It had been difficult for the first few centuries, but with constant practice he'd been able to figure out some subtle signs and mannerisms of wizards.

Archie had tried to convince him a few times to work on enhancing his magic sensing powers, just in case, but Douxie had never thought it was necessary. He had his own ways of finding wizards. Besides, that kind of magic was powerful and complicated, and Douxie knew how dangerous it was for wizards to try to teach themselves magic. It was too risky, even for fully trained Master Wizards like Merlin. If Douxie didn't have to kill himself to teach himself a spell, he wouldn't.

Now Douxie wished he had at least given it a try, because then maybe he wouldn't have found himself in this situation.

Douxie had left his guard down. He'd just been working at the bistro, connecting with the customers and trying to ignore the dark looks he was given by the few people who thought that it wasn't appropriate for a punk like him to be a waiter at the finest restaurant in Arcadia Oaks. Douxie had only had this job for a few months, but he'd already lost count of the number of complaints had been made to his boss about him.

Douxie was incredibly lucky that his boss couldn't care less about how he dressed, because she knew that he was good at his job. Douxie's appearance may be less than professional, but he had really good customer service skills, and his boss wouldn't let him go so easily.

Sometimes there were perks to having nine hundred years of experience of bending over backwards to keep others happy.

Whatever work Douxie was doing, he gave it his complete attention. When he was a waiter, he didn't even think about magic. When he played his music, nothing else even crossed his mind. When he worked on his magic, he did his best to not let his thoughts stray. Douxie did this to be safe, but he'd let things go too far.

Maybe if Douxie had been more aware and on the lookout for magic he would have seen the signs. He had known that something was wrong, but he hadn't considered that it had anything to do with magic. When Claire and her friends came to the restaurant and she started acting strange, Douxie had thought it was just because she was nervous about the date. When she'd brushed him off and called him a servant, it had hurt, but Douxie had been more worried about Claire. He may not know her very well, but he thought that this was just a little out of character for her.

Douxie had kept a close eye on their group as he waited on the other tables. He noticed right away when the other girl, Darci, left the table, likely to use the restroom. A moment later Claire said something that Douxie didn't hear, but it seemed to bother Jim quite a bit. He excused himself and his friend was quick to follow him.

Douxie finished what he was doing and went over to their table. Claire didn't give him a second glance, but Douxie wasn't going to leave just because he was being ignored. Claire may be his customer, but she was also his friend.

"Claire," Douxie said quietly. He pocketed his notebook to show that she had his full attention. "Can I talk to you?"

"I would rather not," Claire said coldly.

"I just wanted to check up on you," Douxie knelt on the ground to be closer to Claire's level. She gave him a sideways glare. "Are you alright? You don't seem yourself."

There was an odd look in Claire's eyes and for a moment Douxie thought he saw a golden spark in them, but he ignored it. He told himself it was just the light reflecting in her eyes. "I wasn't aware we knew each other."

Douxie gave her a small smile. "We may not be close, but I'd like to think that we're friends," Claire didn't respond, so Douxie just continued. "Are you nervous about your date? I can assure you, you have nothing to be worried about. That boy you're with really seems to like you.." Douxie had come to learn that teenagers who were still trying to figure this whole dating thing out had a tendency to get jealous. It was how they coped with caring so much about somebody. It wasn't healthy behavior, but Douxie could tolerate it from young people who were just figuring things out.

"Hey, Douxie," Darci returned to the table and gave him a small smile, though he could tell she was wondering why their waiter was kneeling in front of their table. "What's up?"

"Just checking in," Douxie stood up and gave Claire a gentle smile. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Claire gave him a small frown. It wasn't a cold, angry look, but one of confusion. She seemed to be studying him, though he didn't know what she was looking for.

"Douxie?" That golden light returned to her eyes. She gave him a strained smile. "Actually, there is something that I'd like to talk to you about," She stood up, gave him an odd look, and walked into the restaurant. Douxie shrugged at Darci before he followed Claire. "Where can we get some privacy?"

Douxie knew he might get in trouble for being in an isolated place with a young customer, but that was something he could deal with later. If Claire needed privacy to feel comfortable opening up to him, Douxie would provide that for her.

"The break room should be empty." Douxie said. Customers weren't supposed to be in the back, but extenuating circumstances meant that adjustments had to be made. Douxie led the way to the break room. As he thought, nobody was in there, so they could get the privacy Claire desired. He kept the door open though, as he didn't want anybody to get the wrong idea of what was happening.

"So, what's up?" Douxie asked.

Claire hummed to herself and put her hands behind her back. Her posture was radiating with power and confidence. It wasn't the kind of look that Douxie was used to seeing from teenagers.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," Claire said. Her voice sounded weird and sent shivers down Douxie's spine. He tried to ignore it. This was his friend, a young girl, he had nothing to fear from her.

"It's better work than one might think," Douxie put his hands in his pockets. He knew that being a waiter wasn't the most dignified of work, but he didn't mind it so much. It was what he was used to, and it allowed him the flexible schedule he needed to fight off monsters.

Claire chuckled and Douxie thought he heard an echoey sound to it. "This kind of works suits you," Douxie stiffened slightly as he was reminded of her comment about him being a servant. Maybe she was just joking around, but Douxie wasn't laughing. "However, I have many plans, and I can't let you meddle in them."

Douxie frowned slightly. He didn't like this tone of hers. "If you don't feel comfortable with me being near your date I can arrange for another waiter to serve you." He would understand if Jim's jealousy and uncertainty was making Claire uncomfortable. Douxie could accommodate them. If he could make sure the others had a good time, he would do it.

"You don't have to worry about your work anymore," Claire said. She held up her hand and there was no imagining the golden glow in her eyes. Douxie unconsciously took a small step back, but all of a sudden the door behind him closed with a slam and locked itself.

Douxie shuddered as he felt magic fill the room. This was real, pure power, not the magic of hedge wizards that Douxie had gotten used to. He looked at Claire in shock and rising alarm. "Claire, you...you have magic?" He hadn't thought there were any other true wizards in Arcadia.

Claire chuckled darkly in a way that felt uncomfortably familiar. "More than you could ever dream of, boy," Claire took a step towards Douxie, who couldn't help but retreat in response. He flinched when his back hit the door, yet Clair continued approaching. She continued chuckling unstably. For someone so small and seemingly unthreatening, she was surprisingly intimidating.

"Claire, what are you-"

" _Silence_ ," Claire's voice shook with passion and magic. Douxie's voice got caught in his throat, and not just because he was nervous. Claire's magic was silencing him, and Douxie didn't think he could even resist.

Claire walked close to Douxie and brushed her fingers against his cheek in a way that really shouldn't be threatening but somehow was. Douxie cringed and drew back as much as he could, but he felt like there were bonds around him. As he looked down at Claire in slight fear he caught a glimpse of what looked like golden magic rope pinning his arms to his chest. He realized with a jolt that he recognized this power.

"Morgana?" Douxie said breathlessly. Claire, or rather, the witch possessing her, laughed, and there was no mistaking that tone now. This was the old friend turned witch and enemy of Camelot.

"Nine hundred years and you're still as naive and trusting as ever," Morgana said. "One would think you would have learned your lesson by now."

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Douxie asked weakly.

I told you, I have plans," Morgana said. The gentle grip on his cheek became sharp and firm. "I have nothing to fear from your young magic, but I can't have you running off to that fool master of yours." Morgana tightened her grip so much that Claire's fingernails broke the skin. Douxie cried out in pain as he felt his cheeks begin to bleed from the small wounds.

A moment later Douxie felt his thoughts become cloudy and his eyes became heavy. A sleeping spell. It wasn't as potent as Morgana's usual magic, which would have made Douxie fall unconscious in an instant, but being imprisoned and forced to work through a mortal girl had to make it difficult for Morgana to access her full powers. Still, Morgana's magic was nothing to laugh at. Even in her weakened state Douxie was not nearly strong enough to resist her magic. He fought it as long as he could, but it wasn't too long before Morgana's magic overcame his defenses.

Douxie groaned weakly as he lost all feeling in his legs. Douxie began to fall forward and would have hit the ground harshly if Morgana in Claire's body hadn't caught him and lowered him down gently.

"Rest, young one," Morgana said in a gentle tone that he hadn't heard from her in a long time. Knowing who she was and what she had become, it hurt even more than the cold hatred did. Douxie tried to push Morgana away, but he was quickly losing strength. He had no choice but to give in.

"This will all be over soon." Morgana's voice sounded distant and foggy. Douxie could stay awake no longer. Morgana pulled him close in an almost comforting way as he lost all awareness.

* * *

Jim had thought that fighting trolls had been bad, but he was much more nervous about this date. He was trying to stay calm and just be himself, but everything seemed to be going wrong. Somehow Toby and Darci made it all look incredibly easy. Being with Claire came incredibly naturally to Jim, but going on an actual date was completely different. According to Toby, everything that Jim did was wrong. Not that he would normally take Toby's advice on matters of romance, but Claire seemed tense and not like herself, so the date must not be going well at all.

When Claire had coldly referred to him as the Trollhunter, as though they weren't closer friends and dating, Jim had gotten overwhelmed and left the table to cool his head. Toby had immediately followed him to give him advice and a small scolding. They couldn't have been gone for more than a few minutes, but when they returned to the table only Darci was there.

"Uh, hey, Darce, where's Claire?" Jim asked in what he hoped was a casual tone, but his voice crack gave away how nervous he was.

Darci gave him a slightly pitying, slightly unimpressed look. "She went inside with Douxie, said she wanted to talk to him about something."

"What?" Jim and Toby exchanged alarmed glances. Toby gave him a nod. "I, uh, I'll be right back," Jim walked quickly inside the restaurant, anxious about what Claire could possibly have to talk about with their waiter. She barely knew Douxie.

Jim didn't immediately see either Claire or Douxie inside the main room of the restaurant. He was about to check the men's room when he heard Claire's voice through a closed door that was marked 'employees only'. Jim used to believe that he should never go places that he wasn't supposed to, but since becoming the Trollhunter he had come to learn that bending the rules when necessary wasn't too bad a thing. If Claire was in the back, Jim thought he could at least check in on why.

Jim approached the door slowly. He yelped and jumped back when the door was suddenly thrown open and Claire came storming out.

"Uh, hey Claire," Jim frowned slightly when he saw her scowl and the slight wetness in her eyes. Was she crying? "Are you okay? I swear, if that guy did anything to you-"

"Jim," Claire rushed to him and buried her face in his chest. The action felt as though she was distraught and looking for comfort, but her tenseness made Jim feel a little hesitant to really hold her close. She had been so distant all night. It wouldn't feel right to take advantage of her distress right now.

"What's wrong?" Jim looked over Claire's shoulder towards the employees room, hoping to find some answers. He froze when he saw Douxie's arm resting on the ground. Something was wrong, and while Douxie didn't really like the guy he really didn't want to leave him alone when he could be hurt.

Jim let go of Claire and gently pushed her behind him, just in case. He hurried closer to get a better look and he was scared at what he saw. Douxie was lying on the ground, unconscious, and there was blood dripping on the floor."

"What happened?" Jim hurried inside the room to Douxie's side. It didn't look like his back was hurt, so Jim rolled Douxie onto his side. His breathing and pulse were slow, but nothing too bad. It looked like there was a lot of blood, but it was from a few small face injuries, so Jim didn't think it was too bad. It wasn't too bad that Jim thought it was necessary to call an ambulance, but that didn't mean that they didn't need some help.

Jim looked at Claire expectantly. She just shrugged and crossed her arms defensively. "I don't know what happened. He just collapsed."

Jim didn't know how much he believed that. If Douxie had just fainted out of nowhere, that would be one thing, but the scratches on his face wouldn't have happened for no reason. Now wasn't a good time to worry about that though. He had to make sure Douxie was okay before thinking about what had happened.

"Can you go get some help?" Jim asked Claire a little tensely as he pulled out his phone. He figured that an adult, especially one of the restaurant's employees or bosses, would be able to do a lot to help. Claire frowned, but she sighed and turned around. Jim was a little confused about her cold behavior towards somebody that she seemed to get along with, but he forced himself to not worry about her. Douxie was hurt and had to be his priority right now.

Jim called his mom, hoping that he had remembered right and that she wasn't working tonight. After a few tense moments his mom answered and Jim let out a sigh of relief.

"Jim, how's the big date going?" His mom asked.

"Uh, I think we're going to have to call it short," Jim put his phone on speaker and put it on the ground. "I found our waiter unconscious and bleeding in the back room, and I have no idea what happened or what to do."

Jim's mom immediately slipped into her doctor's voice. "What's his condition?"

"He's unresponsive, bleeding kinda a lot from small cuts on his face. His breathing and pulse are way too slow." Jim's voice shook slightly. He'd been nervous and on edge because of the date, and throwing this on top of it was just one thing too much. It was overwhelming.

"Alright, honey, I need you to calm down." His mom said. "Are you at the bistro?"

"Yeah," Jim said.

"I'm on my way," His mom said. "In the meantime, if it's safe to move him, roll your friend onto his side."

Jim didn't bother mentioning that Douxie wasn't exactly his friend. This wasn't the right time for that. He just did what his mom instructed, making sure that the unhurt cheek was the one resting on the ground. "Alright, done,"

"Is someone else with you?" Jim's mom asked. "I don't want you to leave your friend on his own, but if one of you can find a first aid kit-"

"I already sent Claire to get some help," Jim said. Claire may be acting strangely, but he didn't think she would just leave somebody hurt like this.

He heard the sound of his mom's car turning on through the phone, and he immediately felt better. His mom would be here soon. She'd be able to fix everything.

"You're doing a great job, Jim," His mom said gently. "Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?" He did, but she should really focus fully on driving.

"I'll be fine," Jim said in his most assuring tone. "I'll see you soon."

"Just keep calm and you'll be just fine," Jim's mom said. "We'll do everything we can for your friend. I love you, Jim,"

"Love you too, mom," Jim said. "Bye." He hung up and turned his full attention on Douxie. He wanted to get the bleeding to stop.

"Hey, Jimbo, what's going on in here?" Toby came in and he stumbled slightly when he saw the scene. "Whoa! What the heck happened in here?" Toby looked at Jim in alarm. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Jim said. He wouldn't hurt an innocent person, no matter how much he may not like them. "I found him like this. Have you seen Claire?"

"Uh, I think she's back at the table," Toby said. Jim frowned slightly. Why hadn't she gone for help? Shouldn't she be even more worried about Douxie than Jim was?

"Can you go find a manager or something?" Jim asked. "My mom's on her way, but I don't feel comfortable just sitting around until she gets here."

"I'm on it," Toby hurried off, leaving Jim alone with Douxie. He had nothing to do but wait and make sure Douxie's condition didn't get any worse. A minute later Toby returned with a middle aged woman and young man behind him. Jim got up and moved out of the way for the woman.

"Douxie?" She tilted his head slightly. "Hisirdoux?" There was no response, as Jim knew there wouldn't be.

"My mom's a doctor and she's on her way now." Jim said. Douxie was really young and had a job as a waiter. Calling an ambulance for him might be more harmful in the long run.

"Sean, I need you to take Douxie's tables until Amy gets here," The woman said. The young man nodded, handed her a first aid kit, and left. The woman then turned to Jim and Toby. "Thank you for your help, but I'll take care of it until your mother arrives. Please return to your table."

Jim didn't want to leave, but there wasn't a lot he could do. He reluctantly let Toby pull him to his feet and out of the room. Toby was talking nervously about how this complicated the date and whether or not they should still go to the movie, but Jim barely heard anything he was saying. He'd been feeling reluctant about the date before, but now his heart definitely wasn't in it. He had no idea how hurt this guy was. He'd been just fine ten minutes ago, and now he might need some medical help.

Back at the table their new waiter, Sean, came to take their dessert orders. Toby had been ecstatic to hear that their desserts would be complementary, as an apology for what they had to deal with, and as a thanks for helping. Claire hadn't ordered anything, she seemed really impatient to leave. Jim didn't order something either, because it didn't feel right to be rewarded for doing the bare minimum for someone who was hurt.

Jim waited tensely for his mom to show up. When he saw her arrive at the restaurant with her medical bag he felt like a weight was taken off his shoulders. Jim got up to greet her. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"Where's the boy?" Jim's mom asked, right down to business.

"Unless they moved him, Douxie's in the back room." Jim said. "Do you want me to take you there?"

"I'll find him," His mom said. "You just worry about enjoying your date."

"I don't think I can," Jim admitted.

"Then make sure you and your friends get home safely," His mom kissed his forehead. "I'll keep you updated."

"Thanks, Mom," Jim said. "I'll see you later tonight." He gave her a quick hug before he rejoined his friends, who were just getting ready to pay and leave.

Claire seemed even more distracted than Jim was, so he thought they would call it a night. He decided to walk her home while Toby and Darci, who just wanted to spend time with each other and get their minds off of what had happened, had gone on to the movie. Jim had thought that spending some quiet time with Claire would be good for both of them, and everything seemed to go well at first.

But then he found out that Claire was being possessed by a witch, and his whole night just seemed to go down from there. Between having to fight his girlfriend for his life, and then trying to save her from a medieval witch, a lot happened and by the time Jim had the chance to actually sit down he was absolutely exhausted and soon fell asleep

It wasn't until the next morning when Jim ran into his mom making coffee in the kitchen did Douxie cross his mind again. Jim, who had started to feel safe after the eventful night he'd had, felt his chest tighten in worry.

"Is Douxie okay?" Jim asked as he started to grab some eggs and vegetables to cook up some omelettes.

His mom sighed, and Jim didn't like the sound of that. "He's stable, but still unconscious. We're worried he might slip into a coma."

"What happened to him?" Jim asked. This wasn't what he had expected. His mom was supposed to take care of Douxie and help him get better.

"We don't know," His mom said, and she sounded very concerned and frustrated. "Other than the cuts on his cheek, which have healed up just fine, he seems unhurt."

"Except he won't wake up," Jim said quietly.

"Yes, except for that," His mom said. Jim hunched his shoulder slightly. What could have made a completely healthy young man fall unconscious? This kind of thing wasn't supposed to happen. It was unnatural...or magical.

Jim felt a shiver go down his spine as he remembered that Claire had been with Douxie when he'd suddenly lost consciousness, and she'd been possessed by an evil sorceress. Morgana must have done something to Douxie, and Jim felt incredibly guilty. He hadn't noticed that anything was wrong. If he'd known that Morgana was possessing his girlfriend he never would have let her around other people, and he especially wouldn't have allowed her to be left alone with anybody.

Jim had been blind to Morgana's actions, and now it seemed like Douxie was stuck paying the price.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim knew that what happened to Douxie wasn't really his fault, but he couldn't help but feel responsible. He was the Trollhunter, it was his responsibility to keep not just his friends and the trolls safe, but everybody in Arcadia, including Douxie. Jim didn't let himself wallow in self pity for too long though. There may not be a lot that he could do to help Douxie recover from whatever Morgana had done to him, but that didn't mean that he was useless.

Jim's mom was taking a break from working at the hospital, but she had friends there who regularly kept her updated on Douxie's condition. They probably wouldn't have said anything to her if it weren't for the fact that Douxie didn't seem to have any emergency contacts or apparent family. Ths hospital was having a hard time finding any information about Douxie at all. The only reason they knew his full name was because the restaurant had told them.

Before all of this had happened Jim had seen Douxie as someone who was practically an adult, someone who was way more mature and in control than he was. Now though he realized just how young he really was. According to Sean, another waiter at the restaurant, Douxie was nineteen. That was only a few years older than Jim, who couldn't imagine not having any support at all.

Douxie may be unconscious and not be aware that there wasn't anybody waiting for him, but that didn't mean that he deserved to be alone. Jim tried to talk to the people at the restaurant about any relatives or friends who might want to know about Douxie's condition, but they didn't have a whole lot of information. The only thing that Sean seemed to know for sure was that Douxie had a pet cat that he was very close to.

A cat who, now that Douxie was in a coma, was now by himself. It didn't feel right to leave the cat alone. Sean either couldn't or wouldn't tell Jim where Douxie lived so he could get the cat, but he agreed to give him a call if the cat ever wandered by the restaurant, which it seemed to do frequently.

Sean warned Jim that Douxie's cat was a really weird one. It didn't like to be held or talked to, but it was always listening. It came to the restaurant any time Douxie was there a little late. Sean swore that Douxie and his cat had some kind of connection, because there had been a couple of days when Douxie insisted on leaving early, only to find that his cat had gotten sick, or the cat would come to the restaurant any time Douxie seemed to be having a bad day.

Jim had expected to wait a few days to hear back about the cat, but it was just a few hours later when Jim got a call from Sean. The cat, Archie, was hanging around the restaurant, looking for Douxie and refusing to leave. Jim was supposed to do some homework, since he really didn't want to fail out of High School, but he put it off until later. His grades were important, but so was this.

Jim called Toby and asked him to meet him at the restaurant. Toby wasn't nearly as concerned as Jim was, but he agreed to come anyways. Toby knew how important this was to Jim, and he was such a good friend that what mattered to Jim mattered to him.

Toby had been spending some time with Darci, so he'd been especially reluctant to come, but when Jim's mom took him to the bistro Toby was already waiting there for them.

"Hey, Tobes," Jim said as he got out of the car. "Thanks for coming."

"I'm not about to leave a cat to fend for himself," Toby said. "So, where's the little guy?"

"Let's find out," Jim nodded to his mom, who was taking a seat at a table. She knew that this was something that Jim felt he needed to do, but she wasn't going to just leave him. She was going to stick around until they got the cat, and then she would be taking them to the hospital to check up on Douxie.

Jim and Toby went inside where they found Sean doing some basic cleaning. He gave Jim a small smile and put the broom away. "You here for Archie?"

"If that's okay," Jim said.

"I'm sure my boss will be excited," Sean said. "She doesn't like the cat hanging around,"

"Well, this _is_ a restaurant," Toby said. People didn't generally want cat food in their coffee.

"I'd be careful with Archie if I was you," Sean brought them back towards the employee break room. "He's not in a good mood right now." Sean opened the door very slowly and poked his head in. He then hurried in and quickly pulled Jim and Toby before quickly closing the door. A black cat with odd markings on its chest was lounging on the couch, glaring at them.

Jim, who had been friends with Toby his whole life, knew to be cautious around an angry cat, but he wasn't as intimidated by Archie as he was of Meow Meow P.I. That was solely because this cat was wearing glasses, actual glasses. It looked just a little ridiculous.

Archie sat up and gave Sean an unimpressed look. Jim hadn't even known that cats could be this full of expression.

"Calm down, Arch," Sean said. "This is Jim and Toby. They're friends with Douxie." Archie blinked and looked at Jim curiously. It almost seemed like he was looking for something. Archie sniffed and hopped off the couch. He walked right past Sean and approached Jim.

"Hey, Archie," Jim knelt and held out a hand. Archie sniffed his hand before he leaned against it and allowed Jim to pet him. "I bet you're really worried about Douxie, aren't you?" Archie frowned as much as a cat can and meowed in distress, but something about that sound was off. It didn't sound natural.

Toby sat on the ground next to Jim and held a hand out to Archie. The cat eyed him for a long moment before he allowed Toby to pet him. "Hey, buddy, you're a pretty one, aren't you?" Archie stood straight and proud, looking very content with himself, though there was still a look of concern in his eyes. "You probably really want to see your master."

An odd look came to Archie's eyes. He looked a little irritated. Still, Archie nodded as though he understood their words. Jim and Toby exchanged glances.

"Dude, that's not normal," Toby said.

"Archie's a weird cat," Sean said. He bent down and gave Archie a quick scratch around his ears. "You get used to it."

Toby put his arms around Archie, as though he was going to pick him up. When the cat didn't try to get away Toby stood up and held Archie in his arms. The cat purred slightly and leaned against him. "I bet you're really hungry and lonely by yourself. I've got a lot of cats and food at my place. You can stay with me until Doux gets better."

Archie tilted his head and looked at Toby in slight alarm. He didn't seem to like that idea, though Jim couldn't imagine why. He would have thought that Archie would look forward to some food and company.

Maybe Archie would be more relaxed after he saw Douxie for himself. "Let's go."

"You sure it's okay to bring Archie to the hospital?" Toby asked. Archie jolted and looked at Jim in alarm. He squirmed so much that Toby was forced to let him go. Archie jumped to the ground and dashed to the door. He started meowing and scratching at the door. He sounded terrified, desperate, and in pain.

"Whoa, whoa, Archie, calm down," Jim went to the cat and picked him up. Archie hissed and scratched at him, but Jim had fought off trolls and survived the Darklands, he could handle a scared cat's claws. Jim held Archie to his chest, almost restraining him. "It's okay, you're okay,"

Archie didn't want to calm down, but when Jim refused to budge he eventually pulled it in slightly. Archie gave one last pitiful meow as he leaned his head against Jim's chest.

"There we go," Jim said. He gently pet Archie's head. "I know you're scared, I'm kinda freaked out too, but it's going to be okay." Jim felt weird talking to a cat like this, but he had done weirder things. "I'm going to be honest with you, Douxie's not doing so good. He could really use your help, but the hospital won't let you in if you're freaking out. If you want to see Douxie, you need to be calm, okay?" Archie sighed and nodded slowly.

Sean brought Jim and Toby back to the front of the restaurant. Sean went back to work while Jim and Toby went back outside. Jim's mom was waiting for them, and when she saw Archie she gave him a small pet.

"Are you boys ready to go?" Jim's mom asked.

"Definitely," Jim said. "And you checked with the hospital, right? They okayed us bringing Archie?"

"Animals aren't normally allowed in the hospital," Jim's mom said. "But coma patients are always special cases. It's not unheard of for animal contact to coax people out of comas."

Archie's ears perked and he looked alarmed. He leaned closer to Jim and dug his claws into his shirt. Archie whined in distress. Jim pet him in the hopes of calming him down again.

"If there's even the smallest chance that this will work, it's worth trying." Jim said. They returned back to the car and got in. Jim's mom started the car while Jim and Toby worked on keeping Archie calm. The cat was doing decently until they got close to the hospital and Toby tried to get him into a cat carrier. Archie was not having it.

"Come on, Arch," Toby said as Archie squirmed out of Jim's grip and jumped out of reach. "You have to get in the cat carrier." Archie hissed and shook his head.

"It'll just be for a few minutes," Jim assured the cat. "Just until we get to Douxie's room, and then we'll let you out, I promise." Archie glared at them but he very slowly walked towards the carrier and got in. Toby quickly closed and secured it before Archie could change his mind.

"And I thought Nana's cats were demanding," Toby said. "This guy is a little pain."

"All cats are a major pain," Jim said. It was nothing new for him. When they got to the hospital Jim took the cat carrier. He held it close as they went inside. Jim's mom had a few short words with one of the nurses, and a moment later he took them to the ICU area, which scared Jim at first. If Douxie needed intensive care, it meant that he was really in trouble. However, Jim's mom assured him that Douxie wasn't in immediate danger. Coma patients just stayed in ICU because they needed more careful attention.

Before the nurse let them into Douxie's room he told them about some rules and guidelines they needed to follow. Jim knew that this was important information, but he didn't pay any attention to it. Jim wanted to see for himself the state that Douxie was in, and Archie was just as anxious.

When they were finally allowed into Douxie's room Jim set the carrier down and opened the latch. Archie darted out and jumped onto the bed that Douxie was lying on. The older boy looked pale and a little ill, but otherwise he looked just fine. If Jim didn't know better he would think that he was sleeping.

Archie whined and pawed at Douxie's chest. The cat nudged him, meowed at him, and even bit his finger, but Douxie gave no response.

"I need to have a few words with the other doctors," Jim's mom said. "You boys behave yourself. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay, mom," Jim said. The second that Jim's mom left the room and closed the door behind her Archie sat up and glared at Jim so fiercely that Jim was sure he saw an actual fire in his eyes.

"Trollhunter," Archie said angrily. Jim and Toby froze as they looked at the cat in shock. Toby leaned away from Archie and inched towards the door.

"Uh, Jimbo, did that cat just talk?" Toby asked, his voice shaking.

"Something tells me that's not a cat," Jim instinctively reached for his amulet. He was used to people hatefully calling him Trollhunter, and it was never a good sign when they did. "What are you?"

"No, I'm the one asking questions here," Archie hissed. He arched his back and brought out his claws. "What happened to my wizard familiar?"

"Your...hang on, what?" Jim put a hand to his head. He was starting to get a headache. "I'll explain whatever I can, but I just need a couple of explanations first."

"Yeah, like why can you talk?" Toby asked.

"And what do you mean by wizard familiar?" Jim asked.

Archie frowned and jumped off the bed. He suddenly became engulfed in fire and when it was gone Archie was a little larger and had leathery wings like a bat. He flew around a little bit before landing back on the bed and spreading his wings.

"I'm a dragon," Archie said. "I'm Douxie's wizard associate, and he is my wizard familiar."

"Wait, what?" Toby looked like he couldn't decide whether he was excited or scared. "Douxie's a wizard? Since when?"

"Since he was born," Archie said.

"Wait, Douxie has magic," Jim frowned slightly. "Can people with magic sense when someone else with those powers is nearby?" Maybe Morgana had known that Douxie had magic and that was why she had done this.

"It depends on how powerful they are," Archie said. "Douxie never picked up on it." Which meant that Douxie hadn't known that Morgana was possessing Claire.

"Well, I haven't met a lot of magicians, but Morgana seemed pretty powerful to me." Toby said.

Archie's eyes widened in alarm and he hissed harshly. "Morgana? What does she have to do with any of this?"

"She possessed my girlfriend and did, well, this," Jim said.

Archie whined and laid down next to Douxie, resting his head on his chest. "That witch. I knew she was evil, but somehow I thought that she wouldn't hurt Douxie."

"You talk like you know Morgana," Jim grabbed one of the chairs next to the bed and dragged it closer to where Archie was. "And that she knows Douxie."

"They were friends back in Camelot," Archie said. "Before her true colors came out,"

"Camelot?" Jim said breathlessly. He didn't really believe it. Douxie didn't look like he had been alive during medieval times, but Jim wasn't familiar with wizards. If Douxie had magic, it wasn't that odd that his power would keep him alive for so long. It was a lot to try to take in, but he didn't think Archie would lie about any of this.

"Hang on, Douxie's goth, plays guitar, _and_ he has magic?" Toby asked. "Regular guys like us don't stand a chance."

"Now's not the time, Tobes," Jim said. He'd been jealous about Douxie, who was just so much more confident around Claire than Jim was, but he felt weird about that now.

"And I believe Douxie uses the term punk to describe his style," Archie said. Jim didn't know what the difference between goth and punk were, but he wasn't about to disagree with the dragon about it.

Archie sighed and nuzzled close to Douxie. "I should have been there with him. I should have protected him. I should have come as soon as I felt that something was wrong."

"I understand the feeling," Jim said. He didn't feel like Archie was at fault, but Jim also blamed himself, and he knew that assurances didn't do a lot to make him feel better.

They heard the door start to open. Archie turned back into his cat form just as the door opened. Jim's mom came in.

"How is he?" She asked.

"Still unconscious," Jim said. "But I really think that Archie being here will really help," Jim didn't know a lot about wizards, but he couldn't imagine Archie just being a friend and nothing more to Douxie. Whatever a familiar was, Archie and Douxie's relationship was more than just a boy and his pet. If Archie had sensed that Douxie was in danger, maybe the wizard could sense the dragon's presence. Jim didn't know if it would be enough to pull Douxie out of a magic induced coma, but for all he knew it was exactly what he needed.

"Well, we can't exactly expect a miracle," Jim's mom put a hand on his shoulder. Normally Jim would agree, but in this case he wasn't so sure. Douxie was a wizard, unconscious because of the influence of a spell. If there was ever a time when a miracle or magical cure would work, Jim thought it would be now. If only he knew how to make that happen.

Right now all that Jim could do was let the doctors do their work, hope that Archie's presence could somehow help.

Ever since he had become the Trollhunter Jim had been introduced to the world of magic. He had a few bad experiences with magic, but he had still seen it as something that could, if used safely, be a quick solution to a complicated problem. Now though Jim was starting to see that maybe magic was way too dangerous and unpredictable to rely on. Even for wizards like Douxie magic seemed to cause more trouble than it fixed.

Magic had caused this problem, and Jim was worried that magic would be needed to fix it. Where was he supposed to find a wizard whose magic was strong enough to go against Morgana's?


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin hadn't had the chance to put much of a plan in place before he had fought Morgana and fallen under a deep slumber. He'd been able to give his apprentice some instructions, should the worst happen, but the rest had been left to fate. He hadn't intended to sleep after the battle, but his body and mind had been so exhausted after the fight that his magical instincts had taken over to protect him.

Even though the entire situation had been unplanned, Merlin hadn't necessarily been surprised about it. He had heard many stories about wizards resting or meditating for long periods of time to rejuvenate their souls. It was part of the reason why wizards were able to live for so long and nearly be immortal. Their magic sustained them and gave them strength.

Maybe it was because Merlin's magic had reacted instinctively to put him to sleep, and raw magic was more powerful and unpredictable than trained magic usually was, or maybe it was because Merlin had been much weaker after his fight with Morgana than he had originally thought, but he had slept for much longer than he had thought.

Nine hundred years had passed. Merlin would have expected a few years at the very least, because Morgana was an incredibly powerful enchantress and their duel had taken a lot out of him. He wouldn't have been surprised to sleep a few decades, but nothing more than a century or two. Nearly a millennium seemed incredibly excessive, and it was alarming how much the world had changed.

Merlin was curious, concerned, and just a little anxious about how different the world was now, but he forced it out of his mind. Morgana was about to be released, and Merlin was the only one who could stop her from destroying the world. He couldn't afford to let himself be distracted by anything.

Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only one who had such concerns. The boy who had somehow been chosen to be his Trollhunter and champion had his priorities mixed up. Jim's concern was Gunmar, which was annoying, but tolerable, because Gunmar was working closely under Morgana. Merlin hoped that he would be able to convince Jim who the real enemy was.

Even with the threat of the Eternal Night, Jim's thoughts weren't solely on the battle ahead of them. Merlin wanted to start planning and preparing immediately, but nobody seemed to appreciate anything he had to say.

Merlin was fine with the Trollhunter and his allies not liking him. He wasn't here to make friends, he was here to stop Morgana and save the world. It was frustrating though that they seemed to decide that because they didn't like him that he wasn't worth listening to. This was why Merlin had never been too fond of being around youth. They were incredibly stubborn and saw the world in a very black and white kind of way. They couldn't comprehend that just because they didn't like somebody didn't mean they were wrong.

Merlin was relieved and had hope for this young Trollhunter when Jim came to him, saying he had a few questions about magic and Morgana's power.

This was fantastic. The Trollhunter must be realizing just how much of a threat Morgana was and wanted to be as prepared to fight her as he could be.

"She is one of the most powerful enchantresses I've met." Merlin said. "She specializes in dark magic. She relies on shadows and the secrets that hide in them."

"Yeah, I knew that," Jim sighed. He sounded stressed, and Merlin didn't blame him. Morgana was an intimidating individual. It was a lot for a child to be faced with. "But how can she use magic? I thought she was imprisoned?"

"Depending on the wizard, magic can manifest itself outside of the body," Merlin frowned slightly. "Though Morgana's magic should be as contained as her body is."

"We had a bit of a possession incident," Jim rubbed the back of his neck. Claire's been using Morgana's old shadow staff, and-"

"And that made her vulnerable to Morgana's influence," Merlin realized. Wizard's staffs weren't just powerful tools, they were extensions of the wizard themself. Morgana may be imprisoned, but young Lady Claire had accidentally found a crack in the prison.

"Claire's fine now," Jim assured him quickly. "But Morgana caused a bit of trouble while she was out, and we have no idea how to fix it."

Merlin furrowed his brow. He could understand Morgana being able to possess someone who had used her staff, as the magic involved would be more passive than anything. He couldn't imagine that she would waste magical energy for just any spell. She was powerful, but still imprisoned, so her magic was limited.

"What kind of trouble?" Merlin asked. If Morgana had bothered to use her magic for something, it was something to be worried about.

"She put a friend of ours in a coma." Jim said. When Merlin didn't show an immediate recognition of what he meant Jim thought of a different way of phrasing it. "She put him to sleep, and he won't wake up."

Merlin sighed, suddenly feeling very frustrated. So, Jim wasn't trying to learn more so he could better fight against Morgana, he was more concerned about the safety of a single person. Merlin understood that the young Trollhunter had personal fondness for his family and friends, and that was fine, except Morgana was a very manipulative and cruel person. There was no doubt in Merlin's mind that Morgana wouldn't hesitate to use Jim's friends against him. At least for now it was safer for Jim to distance himself from others.

"There is nothing wrong with having friends," Merlin said in a tone that he usually saved for his apprentices. It used to work really well to calm Hisirdoux, and he hoped it would do the same for Jim. "But you can't afford to let it distract you from what needs to be done. You are the Trollhunter, and you must put your responsibilities first."

"Look, I've heard all of this before," Jim said. "I get it, really I do, but my friends are my responsibility too. I feel like none of this would have happened if I had paid more attention. I have to fix it, and I really think you can help with that."

Merlin raised an eyebrow at Jim. "What do you think I could do?"

"You have magic," Jim said. "Magic is keeping him asleep. If you were able to defeat Morgana before, can't your magic wake him up?"

"Perhaps," Merlin said. "However, without my staff my magic is far too limited."

"Can you at least try?" Jim pleaded. Merlin was tempted to say no, but from what he had seen from Jim it would cause the boy to quickly turn against him. Jim was barely listening to him now, and Merlin knew that if he was so quick to brush off his request, the boy would completely ignore him in return. Merlin needed this boy to work with him, not against him. He needed his Trollhunter on his side.

"We shall see," Merlin said. "I shall have to see the boy's state first."

"We can do that," Jim said. He gave him a small, appreciative smile. "I was actually planning on going to the hospital soon to visit him."

"Why do you visit someone who is asleep?" Merlin asked. The Trollhunter wasn't lacking in things he needed to do. Surely there were more productive things he could do with his time.

"He doesn't really have anybody else," Jim said. "If I was in his position, I would want there to be someone around who cared." Jim grabbed his backpack and double checked that he had his amulet on him. At least the boy was being responsible with his weapon and defense. He had learned to be prepared for any situation.

Merlin followed Jim as he went to find his mother to ask her to take them to the hospital. Merlin had seen the great hulking beast that mortals now used as transportation, and Merlin didn't want to set foot near that so-called car. Jim was insistent that the hospital was too far to walk to, and either they drive in this fairly small car, or they had to take what he called a bus, which was just a much larger car. Merlin decided to keep his mouth quiet and tolerate the lesser of two evils.

Merlin despised every moment he was in the car. It went far faster than was natural for humans to go. He was incredibly confused by just how natural Jim and his mother acted like this was. Did mortals really travel so often with these things? Why did they feel the need to travel so much?

One thing that Merlin would say the car had going for it was that it was fast. It wasn't too long until they got there, and it wasn't a moment too soon. Merlin followed Jim out of the car and towards the doors. Jim was about to enter into the hospital when he paused and looked to the side. Merlin followed his gaze and froze when he saw a cat curled up near the door.

"Archie, what are you doing here?" Jim knelt next to the cat and scratched its ears. The cat purred contently and leaned into his touch. If Merlin didn't know any better he would think that it was just a normal cat and he wouldn't give it another thought, but he knew this cat all too well. He would know those glasses anywhere.

"Archie?" Merlin said quietly. Archie, who had been stretching, froze and looked towards him. The cat's fur stood on end when he saw him.

"Merlin? What are you doing here?" Archie asked. He didn't sound at all pleased to see Merlin. He was defensive and almost furious, and Merlin didn't understand what he had done to get this kind of reaction.

"I'm here to assist the Trollhunter," Merlin said. He looked around. "Where is Hisirdoux?" Nine hundred years was a long time, but Merlin couldn't imagine the young wizard and his dragon familiar too far from each other. If Archie was here, Hisirdoux had to be nearby.

Archie stiffened and his ears tilted back. He looked distressed and pained. Merlin noticed how tired Archie looked. It was concerning.

"You know Douxie?" Jim gave him a small frown. A moment later the boy sighed and brought a hand to his head. "Right, you knew Morgana, he knew Morgana, it makes sense that you would know each other."

"He was my apprentice," Merlin said. For some reason his wording made Archie flinch and hiss. "How do you know Hisirdoux?"

Jim rubbed the back of his neck and looked a little more anxious. "Well, I told you about how Morgana put a friend under a sleeping spell."

Merlin felt a dark feeling in his chest. Morgana had cursed Douxie. That wasn't good, that wasn't good at all. "Where is he?"

Jim picked up Archie and gestured for Merlin to follow him. They finally entered the hospital, and Merlin felt the dark feeling in his chest get stronger with every step they took. Maybe he was just sensing Morgana's magical influence here. What else could be responsible for this feeling?

As much as Merlin had hated the car drive, he hated this short walk even more. He hadn't thought much of it when Jim had told him that Morgana had put someone to sleep with her magic. Merlin had only agreed to come here to get Jim to recognize that they were on the same side. Knowing that Douxie was the one who was cursed made Merlin actually feel concerned.

He told himself it was because Morgana's encounter with Douxie might have alerted her to Merlin's presence, which would mean that they had lost the element of surprise. Merlin knew that wasn't the case though. Even if they had the element of surprise, it wouldn't make that much of a difference. Morgana was very good at not just planning ahead, but also to adapting to sudden changes.

Perhaps Merlin was concerned because his powers were limited without his staff. Because Hisirdoux was his apprentice they had a connection. If necessary, they could lend magic to each other, which would have made him feel much more confident about the upcoming battle with Morgana.

Merlin followed Jim to a room where Douxie seemed to be asleep on a bed. Merlin could barely sense his magical energy, and it was extremely concerning and unnerving. Hisirdoux' magic was so lively and bright, it was very unnerving for it to be so weak.

Jim set Archie on the bed and the familiar curled up against his wizard's side. Merlin sensed Douxie's energy get stronger. It was still worryingly weak, but any additional strength was better than nothing. Douxie must be subconsciously aware of Archie's presence.

Jim sat down on a chair. He looked far too comfortable. Merlin, on the other hand, would rather be anywhere else.

"How long were you waiting around outside?" Jim asked as he looked at Archie. "Toby says you weren't at his house."

"I'm not going to leave my wizard alone," Archie said coldly. "Besides, you have a troll living there now, and I would rather avoid being eaten." Merlin doubted that even Gunmar or Bular could get away with trying to eat Archie. He was incredibly fierce when he wanted to be.

Merlin was pleasantly surprised at how at ease Archie was, despite the state his wizard was in. Merlin would have expected the dragon to be on a rampage right now, but Archie seemed perfectly content just sitting near Douxie. Merlin just didn't know if Archie was reassured by Jim's calmness, or if Morgana's spell was so powerful that Archie was affected through Douxie.

Merlin approached Douxie and put a hand on his chest. The Master Wizard used his magic to reach for Douxie's. For an alarmingly long moment nothing happened, but finally Merlin was able to feel Douxie's magic reach for his in return. It was a short, half-hearted reach, and it felt as though Douxie's magic was being held back.

It was clear that Morgana hadn't just put Douxie to sleep, she had gone so far as to restrain his magic. It would have been a push for Merlin to be able to break through Morgana's spell and wake Douxie up while he had so little access to his magic. For Douxie's magic to be restrained like this it would take a lot more magical energy to bring him back. Merlin would have to awaken not just Douxie's body and mind, but his soul as well, and he just didn't have the magic to do that.

Jim and Archie were both watching Merlin hopefully, and he felt bad that he would have to disappoint them. It couldn't be helped though. Merlin didn't know just how much magic he had access to right now. He had to save as much as he could for Morgana.

"I'm afraid I can't wake him," Merlin said.

"What?" Jim's eyes were wide and he looked pained. "I thought you were a strong wizard."

"He's the strongest," Archie said, which should be a compliment, but his glare and growl made it sound almost like an insult. "He _can_ wake Douxie, he just won't." Archie didn't seem to understand that just because Merlin was capable of doing something didn't mean that he could do it. There were a lot of things that Merlin needed to do with his magic, and taking care of the threat that Morgana posed was the most important at that moment.

"Why not?" Jim asked with the combined curiosity and fury that children and youth seemed to be masters of. "I thought he was your apprentice? Aren't you worried about him?"

"Of course I'm concerned," Merlin said. Morgana's magic was unpredictable and incredibly dangerous. Merlin had no way of knowing for sure just how this curse would affect him. "However, Morgana is out there and trying to bring about the Endless Night. She must be stopped. We don't have time to waste on pointless endeavors."

" _Pointless?!_ " Archie growled and arched his back. Smoke curled out from his mouth. "You believe that waking up Douxie is pointless?" Merlin, whose hand was still on Douxie's chest, frowned when he felt the boy's magic dim slightly. It was no longer reaching for Merlin's magic. Perhaps his spirit had just gotten tired of stretching to its limit.

"I believe that wasting my time and magic to try to do something that may not even be possible right now is pointless," Merlin said. Of course he wanted Douxie to wake up and be better, but he couldn't afford to worry about it right now. "I have more important things that need my attention."

Merlin felt Douxie's magic flare ever so slightly before it seemed to retreat away from his. Archie stiffened and looked at Douxie in alarm. He must have felt the same thing that Merlin had. Douxie's magic and will had suddenly gotten weaker.

Merlin was tempted to reach further to Douxie's magic with his own, but that would take energy that he didn't have a lot of to spare. And Douxie's magic, thus Douxie himself, didn't seem to want anything to do with Merlin at the moment. It might be a mistake to push him. Douxie needed time, and Merlin had other things to do.

He closed his eyes and turned so his back was on his young apprentice. Merlin couldn't just stand here and see Douxie in such a helpless and still state. It was unnatural and he just didn't like it. Merlin knew that if he stayed for too long he may decide to try to wake Douxie up anyways, and it wasn't what he could do now. Merlin needed to focus on defeating Morgana. Once she was no longer a concern and he had his staff back, he could worry about Douxie. Until then, Merlin couldn't think about him.

"I have work to do." Merlin glanced back for a brief moment.. "Don't take too long, Trollhunter." As Merlin began to leave the room he heard Archie hiss and shout a combination of old Draconic and Norse curses at him, but for reasons that the old wizard didn't understand he didn't try to attack him or breath fire at him. Archie just laid on the bed, his wings out and draped uncomfortably over him.

Merlin heard Jim try to calm Archie, but he didn't stop to hear what he was actually saying. Merlin closed the door behind him and walked back down the hallway. He didn't know where his feet were taking him, but he didn't particularly care. He needed to get away from there.

The moment that Merlin was outside he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He wanted to continue walking, to get as far away from this cursed place as he could, but his legs were shaking so much he didn't think he could take another step. Merlin leaned against the outer wall of the building and squeezed his eyes shut.

His head was pounding, and the dark feeling in his chest had gotten so strong that he felt a little nauseous. He remembered many moments back in Camelot when Douxie had claimed to feel similarly to this, but Merlin had never truly understood what he had meant. He had just thought that Douxie was exaggerating or overreacting, but now he knew that wasn't the case at all.

This feeling was terrible, and Merlin was sure that it would never go away. He was one of the greatest wizards of all time, and yet he still felt incredibly small and absolutely useless. He had failed his apprentice. Both of them.

Morgana had looked to him for guidance, but he hadn't been able to keep her on the straight and narrow. He had let her stray, and now she was doing her best to destroy the world as they knew it.

Douxie had looked to him for protection and security, and Merlin had left him on his own for nine hundred years. The boy was now stuck in a magical sleep, with his soul and magic in who knows what state, and Merlin couldn't help him. He wanted to, more than anything, but he couldn't.

Merlin had dedicated his life to keeping the realm of Camelot, as well as the rest of the world, safe. He had sworn to put the needs of the people above his own. All of his efforts, all of his sacrifices, they were for the greater good. Merlin knew this, and he couldn't let his mind be changed for the sake of one person.

Not even if that one person was Douxie.

Merlin had made a promise and an oath, and he planned on keeping it. He could help Douxie later, but he couldn't now. At this moment, and for the foreseeable future until the threat was eliminated, Morgana had to be Merlin's priority.

There was no other way. This was how it needed to be.


	4. Chapter 4

Archie was so tired, more so than usual, which was saying something. Dragons were inherently lazy creatures, and cats spent most of the day sleeping, so Archie spent a lot of time resting. He did it so he could have plenty of energy when he needed it. He couldn't assist Douxie in his spells and studying, or help him hunt for monsters, if he was falling asleep or really grouchy.

Archie had been resting longer and more frequently than normal, and he was still so tired all the time. What little energy he did have he dedicated to keeping an eye on Douxie and trying to reach him. He knew that his wizard's condition was the reason behind his recent fatigue.

There was old magic behind the bond between wizard and familiar. They drew their powers from each other, which had its advantages and disadvantages. Because dragons were some of the most powerful magical creatures out there, Douxie's magic was boosted through their bond, and Archie's own passive magic was more powerful as well.

However, after more than nine hundred years Archie had gotten so used to feeling Douxie's magic fill him that when it was gone he was left feeling ill. That was part of the reason why Archie was so tired, because his body wasn't used to feeling so little of Douxie's presence.

What little Archie got through their connection was clouded by Morgana's spell. He hadn't been able to feel Douxie's magic at all until Merlin had shown his face. At first Archie had been relieved that his wizard's magic had gotten stronger, even if it was only by a little bit, but then Merlin had to ruin everything, like he always did.

Douxie had sensed his master's presence, and he'd been reaching for help, only for Merlin to turn his back on him. Archie had felt it the moment that Douxie's already weak spirit and will finally broke. He'd sensed his wizard familiar's magic draw back and become cold, and it hurt.

Archie would have loved nothing more than to attack and berate Merlin until he got his priorities straight, but he was far too drained. He'd already been tired, but the moment that Douxie's spirit dimmed all of Archie's remaining energy seemed to leave him. He could barely keep himself awake, and he didn't think he could move at all.

Archie curled up close to Douxie and glared at Jim when he so much as suggested that they join Merlin and leave the hospital. Archie wanted nothing to do with Merlin at the moment, and he didn't want to leave his wizard. Douxie had been put under this curse so suddenly, and his magic had weakened just as quickly. Archie had no way of knowing if Douxie's condition could get worse, and he wasn't going to risk it.

As long as his wizard was like this, Archie would stay by his side. His master may have abandoned him, but Archie wouldn't. He refused to.

"I really don't think you can stay at the hospital." Jim rubbed the back of his neck after Archie's most recent refusal to leave. "I was surprised they let you visit at all."

"I would like to see them try to drag me away." Archie hissed. If his body was cooperating better he would arch his back, stretch his wings, and dig in his claws. As it was, he just had to rely on his intimidation. Nobody was going to take him away from Douxie.

"Hey, hey, nobody's going to drag anybody away," Jim held out his hands to try to calm Archie. "I'm just saying that the hospital has rules, and those rules are there to keep everybody safe and healthy."

"Me being with Douxie _is_ for his health." Archie said. His presence hadn't done nearly as much to help Douxie as he would have liked, but Archie knew that his familiar could sense him. If he left now, when Douxie was so vulnerable, after what Merlin had said about him, the boy's condition would most definitely get worse.

Jim sighed. "I'll talk to my mom, okay? She can arrange things with the doctors."

Archie relaxed and closed his eyes. He knew that the young Trollhunter could just pick him up and carry him away, and he would be far too tired to resist. Archie knew that Jim didn't completely understand how his connection to Douxie worked, but the boy was going out of his way to help him anyways. Archie appreciated the support.

"If you can, could you keep Merlin away?" Archie asked. He knew it probably wasn't what Douxie would want, but the young wizard wasn't in any state to choose for himself. As his familiar, it was Archie's job to make this kind of decision on Douxie's behalf, even if it wasn't what he wanted.

Douxie's well-being came first. Always.

"I'll see what I can do." Jim promised. He scratched behind Archie's ears, gave Douxie one more regretful look, and left the room to find Merlin before the old wizard got impatient. Archie sighed and nuzzled as close to Douxie as he could get. He wasn't normally a cuddler, it was mostly something that he did when Douxie was desperate for comfort and contact, but at this moment Archie definitely needed it.

He knew it was probably wishful thinking, but Archie couldn't help but hope that if he could just curl close enough to Douxie he'd be able to get closer to his magical energy and soul as well.

"Don't you dare give in now," Archie tried to say sternly, but he couldn't hide the fear and emotion in his voice. Part of him was glad that nobody else was around to see this moment of vulnerability. No matter how proud he was, Archie would gladly show his emotional weakness if Douxie would just wake up.

Archie whined and nudged his head against Douxie's hand, trying to get the feeling of being pet. "You've thrived for nine hundred years. We have gone through so much. I refuse to believe that a simple sleeping spell cast by an imprisoned witch with limited powers, and the careless words of a heartless old man who never deserved your loyalty in the first place, can do you in."

"You're stronger than this spell, Douxie," Archie closed his eyes. He could already feel himself begin to doze off. "I won't leave you. Not now, not ever."

* * *

_Darkness…_

_Cold…_

_Pain…_

Those were the only constants. Douxie was vaguely and briefly aware of some other things, but it all returned back to those three. If he really focused he could identify more specific feelings. The darkness wasn't just something he was surrounded by, it was a feeling. It was thick, threatening, and felt distinctly like Morgana's magic.

The cold was so bad that it frequently switched between numbing and burning. The chill was so bad that Douxie almost couldn't remember what it was like to be warm at all. He could feel it deep within his soul. As bad as the cold and dark were, the pain was the worst. No matter how much Douxie focused he couldn't tell whether the pain was physical or emotional, but it was torture. His chest hurt. Douxie felt like he was reliving all of his worst panic attacks all at once, and it was never ending.

It took a lot of effort to look at his feelings in this way, and that kind of focus was far too exhausting. It was easier to just let it remain in those three, simple words.

Douxie was aware of his magic, but he felt disconnected from it. He felt like he was chained up and abandoned in the most secluded of dungeons, and his magic had been pulled right out of him and locked up on the other side of the room. He could see it and feel the smallest bit of influence from it, but he couldn't reach or use it.

For a wizard, their magic was their life. It felt like a part of Douxie's chest had been yanked out of him. He could survive without it, but he didn't feel quite whole.

Douxie had no understanding of time like this. He could have been held like this for five hours, or five hundred years. Occasionally something would break through the tortuous pattern. Some breaks were a relief and gave him hope, but one of them almost made Douxie wish he could return to the unchanging shadows. He didn't like the darkness, but at least it didn't give him false hope only to snatch it away cruelly.

Douxie had sensed his master's presence, though he had thought he had just been imagining it at first. Merlin had been asleep for nine hundred years. It wasn't rational to think that just when Douxie needed him most his master was right there. He'd felt Merlin's magic reaching out to him, and Douxie had done his best to reach him too. He hadn't quite gotten there, but it had been close enough that he could hear Merlin's voice in his head. It was muddled and quiet, like trying to listen to somebody from under the water while wearing headphones.

Douxie had been relieved to feel and hear Merlin after so long. His master always seemed to know what to do, and Douxie had no doubt that he could help him. That very brief feeling of hope was shattered in an instant when he understood Merlin's words. He wasn't going to help Douxie.

This shouldn't hurt so much. After nine hundred years of living without his master Douxie had learned how to depend on his own skills and resourcefulness. He had learned that he didn't need his master as much as he thought he did. And yet the chill that Douxie had been stuck feeling got even worse. He felt like he was drowning.

Merlin was a busy man, Douxie knew this. The man preferred to look at the big picture, it was just who he was. Life was like a big game of chess to him. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. Douxie tried to do the same sometimes, but he could never quite manage it. He cared too much about the individual pieces to make those necessary sacrifices.

None of this was a surprise, but it still felt like a betrayal. Douxie had dedicated his whole life to serving Merlin and being loyal to him, He didn't expect Merlin to return that loyalty. He was just his apprentice. Morgana had been Merlin's apprentice before him, and the older wizard clearly didn't have any issue with fighting her for the good of humanity. It wasn't a shock that Merlin would leave Douxie in this state, but it hurt nonetheless.

Douxie didn't mean to do anything, but his magic pulled even further away from him. He could barely feel it at all, and he didn't know what he could do to bring it back. He felt lost and completely helpless. He would be completely hopeless as well, except for one bright, burning constant.

Archie was nearby. Douxie could always feel his presence there in the back of his mind and the center of his soul. It wasn't always something he was aware of, but amongst the chill of being forsaken by his master and not having anything else to cling to, the fire within him got stronger. It wasn't warm enough to get rid of the cold, but he latched onto it anyways. The warmth was the only comfort he had among these shadows.

' _Archie'_ Douxie was weak and tired. It hurt so much, and the temptation to let go and give in was strong. It would be oh so easy to stop resisting. Maybe Morgana's magic would be merciful if he stopped fighting her.

' _Douxie!'_ Archie's warmth got stronger. Douxie leaned into it as much as he possibly could. ' _Don't you dare stop fighting.'_

' _Hurts,'_ Douxie just wanted it all to stop. ' _Merlin...'_ The cold got even worse as Douxie's grip on his magic weakened.

' _Forget about him,'_ Archie's fire flared dangerously, yet Douxie found comfort in it. ' _You don't need Merlin. You have me. I'm not going to leave you, so don't you leave me.'_

' _I'll...try.'_ Douxie didn't have complete confidence in his strength, not when he was so, _so_ tired, but he had to try. Archie had done so much for him, he'd stood by his side for all this time, and he rarely asked for anything in return. Douxie couldn't deny this request. He had to be strong, for his familiar's sake.

' _You're going to be okay.'_ Archie's warmth calmed slightly, but it wasn't any less protective and comforting. The warmth moved closer until it was resting against the very spot that had been feeling empty because of his missing magic. It didn't fill the space perfectly, but it was better than before.

' _Don't leave me,'_ Douxie curled around Archie's warmth, trying to feel as much of it as possible. The flame nudged closer and surrounded him. It felt like someone had taken a warm, heavy blanket and draped it over him. It felt like safety.

' _Never'_ Archie purred. ' _You're_ my _familiar. I'm not letting go of you that easily. I'm not going anywhere.'_

Douxie was still terrified, surrounded by heavy darkness, and oh so tired, but at least he wasn't alone.


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin tried to forget about Hisirdoux. He had work to do and a world to save. He couldn't afford to let himself get distracted because his young apprentice had fallen into a spot of trouble. Merlin had been asleep for nine hundred years and he had been just fine. Hisirdoux could survive for just a few days until Merlin had the time, magic, and focus to spare.

Merlin had known that Morgana would put her plan into action as soon as she could. Now that she had his staff it was only a matter of time before she was free and ready to spread her evil and darkness.

Merlin didn't have a lot of time to prepare, but he took advantage of every second he had. He convinced the Trollhunter to become the half human half troll that he was meant to be. He had created armor for the Trollhunters friends to use. If the boy insisted on dragging other children into his battles, the very least Merlin could do was make sure they were well-equipped. He had even given the small changeling the means to save all of the changeling familiars in the Darklands. He'd done everything he could to make sure that Jim was ready and willing for the battle ahead.

Merlin had thought he was ready. When his battle against Morgana started he was quickly able to get his staff back. This was supposed to be the end of the battle. His magic was stronger than Morgana's, even after nine hundred years of sleep. Merlin raised his staff to stop Morgana once and for all, but she just laughed at him.

"You old fool," Morgana scoffed. "Do you honestly think you can defeat me?"

"I did it once before, I can do it again," Merlin said confidently. He summoned as much magic as he could muster. Everything was going into this spell. He only had one chance, and he had to make it count.

"You?" Morgana raised her hands towards him. She smirked dangerously. "Has your memory left you in your old age? You only defeated me with the help of your little servant." She all but spat the word out and Merlin couldn't help but tighten his grip on his staff. Hisirdoux had always hated being called Merlin's servant. There had been many times when the boy had gotten distressed because of the disrespect.

Merlin had always brushed Douxie's concerns away and never gave them a second thought. Magic users were treated badly, especially back in Camelot. It was just part of being a wizard back then, and Merlin had thought it would be for the best that he not fight the boy's battles for him. It was necessary that Hisirdoux learn how to rely on his own powers and knowledge. Merlin couldn't hold his hand forever.

However, hearing Morgana disrespect Hisirdoux in this way after she had hurt him made the dark feeling he'd been pushing away get worse. Merlin felt protective and furious on Douxie's behalf. Had Morgana always talked this way about Hisirdoux, even back in Camelot? Had she always been cruel to Douxie when Merlin's back was turned? Or perhaps Morgana had been cruel while Merlin had watched and he'd just been blind to the treatment.

Morgana chuckled and floated closer to Merlin. "Speaking of your little errand boy, tell me, how _is_ Douxie?"

Merlin saw red. He did the very thing that he had taught Douxie over and over again to avoid. He lost control of his magic. Merlin yelled in fury and harnessed that cold, dark feeling in his chest. He sent a blast of raw magic towards Morgana. She deflected it with a wave of her hand, sending the blast into a wall, completely destroying it and making the whole cavern shake.

A very small part of Merlin was concerned when he saw the damage that his uncontrolled magic had done. _This_ was why magic shouldn't be used without restraint. It was far too dangerous. It was also concerning how much damage his magic had done. Merlin had never been very good at harnessing destructive magic the way that Morgana could, and he'd never been interested in it. Magic was the mastery of life, not the bringer of death.

However, a larger part of him only regretted that his destructive blast hadn't hit Morgana. How dare she speak of Hisirdoux in that way. How dare she lay a finger on him when he had done nothing to provoke such action. What did she hope to accomplish?

"How dare you?" Merlin growled. "You know _exactly_ how he is." Morgana was the one responsible for Hisirdoux' state in the first place. "This is between the two of us. It was unnecessary to involve the boy."

"I'm not the one who involved him in the first place," Morgana said furiously. " _You_ are the one who dragged him into our fight a millennia ago. _I_ only made sure that it didn't happen again."

"I didn't think that you would be so afraid of a child." Merlin said. He knew that Hisirdoux, while a boy, certainly wasn't a child anymore. He just wanted to get under Morgana's skin. If he could make her lose her focus he could gain the advantage.

"You think I did this because I was afraid of him?" Morgana laughed. She sounded more amused than angry. "No, you old fool. I was far more afraid _for_ him."

Merlin seethed and sent a wave of magic towards Morgana. She crossed her arms in front of her and made the wave go around her. "Do not speak as though you are concerned for him."

"I could say the same thing to you," Morgana said. Merlin was caught off guard. His magic faltered at Morgana's words, and she seemed to be waiting for this very thing. She held out her emerald hand and summoned her magic. Merlin grunted as he found himself restrained by Morgana's magic.

She floated towards Merlin, leering at him. "The boy has blindly followed you for centuries because he didn't know any better. He isn't a knight or a warrior, and yet you dragged him into battles anyways. Can you honestly tell me that if Douxie was awake and capable you wouldn't force him to fight?"

Merlin glared at Morgana and grimaced, partially from the pain of her hold and partially because of her words. He wanted to disagree, but in all honesty he couldn't. Morgana was a very serious threat, and Gunmar and his army of trolls weren't much better. They needed all the help they could get. If Merlin had his way, he would want to have Hisirdoux at his side to help him with Morgana. The only alternative that Merlin would be okay with was if Hisirdoux had insisted on protecting the civilians.

Merlin didn't want to endanger anybody, let alone his young apprentice, but sometimes they didn't have a choice. They were at war. The fate of the world hung in the balance. They needed as many fighters as they could get. It was regretful, but if Hisirdoux was capable of fighting, Merlin would certainly ask it from him and not think twice.

Merlin knew that the boy was incredibly kind-hearted and unselfish. There was no doubt in Merlin's mind that the boy would agree to fight and put himself in danger if it meant that he could protect others. Just because Merlin knew that Douxie was willing to fight, did that mean that it was fair to ask him to? Would that be taking advantage of him? Merlin didn't know, and the thought bothered him much more than he thought it would.

Merlin's silence seemed to be enough of an answer for Morgana. "I thought as much." Morgana clenched her fist. Merlin groaned as the magical grip around him tightened. "It was a mercy to put him under my spell." Morgana yanked her hand back and Merlin shouted as he was flung across the chambers. He hit the ground harshly and felt the air get knocked out of him.

Merlin tried to raise himself, but his limbs were exhausted and refused to move. Morgana floated closer to him and settled her feet on the ground. She knelt and grabbed Merlin's head, forcing him to look up at her. "Stop fighting. This battle is already mine."

"Th-the Trollhunter-" Merlin choked out, only to get cut off when Morgana tightened her grip so much that he couldn't breath. Merlin fought in vain to gasp for breath.

"The Trollhunter is a child," Morgana scoffed. "Little more than a bug under my boot." Morgana let go of Merlin, dropping his head onto the ground. The dark spots that had been dancing in Merlin's vision completely took over. He couldn't resist anymore and Merlin fell unconscious.

* * *

Awareness returned to Merlin slowly. His head was pounding and Merlin suspected that he had a few broken ribs. Though his body was weak, his magic was pulsing and fierce. He tightened his grip around his staff. His injured body was an easy enough fix.

Merlin muttered a spell and felt his magic go through him. He could feel his bones readjusting and correcting themselves. A few minutes later Merlin was still sore, but he felt like he could move around without feeling agonizing pain. He groaned as he slowly got to his feet. He would be feeling that for a while.

Merlin looked around Trollmarket. He didn't see any sign of Morgana, her puppet, or even the massive broat who had been assisting Merlin. He was alone. The battle had moved elsewhere.

Merlin didn't know how long he had been unconscious. It could have been a few minutes, but it could just as easily have been several hours. There was a very real possibility that the battle was over, for better or for worse.

Merlin needed to know the state of things. After all of his preparation he couldn't believe that he had been overpowered so easily. He had let Morgana get to him. This was why Merlin had tried so hard to keep himself from having emotional attachments. It made him vulnerable, and that vulnerability could be exploited. It was a weakness.

Merlin hurried out of Trollmarket as quickly as he could. He was pleasantly surprised when he was greeted with sunlight. The Trollhunter and his friends had actually managed it. They had put a stop to the Endless Night. They had managed to defeat Morgana.

Merlin knew that he should find the young Trollhunter and his friends. He had to make sure that they were all okay and that Morgana had truly been defeated. He couldn't sense Morgana's magic, so he thought it was safe to say that she was gone, but it was always good to be safe than sorry.

Even if Morgana wasn't a threat anymore and no permanent damage had been done to the Trollhunter, there was still a lot of work to be done. Gunmar and his soldiers had spread destruction, and there was certainly a lot of damage control to be taken care of. The battle may be over, but that didn't mean that the work was.

However, Merlin found himself with only one thing on his mind. Hisirdoux. Merlin had his staff back, so he had access to more of his magic, and Morgana was no longer a threat. There was nothing urgent keeping him from finally turning his attention to his young apprentice.

He had to get to the hospital.

Merlin didn't necessarily know how to get there. He barely knew where he was, but now that he had his staff that didn't matter. Merlin gathered his magic and reached out for Douxie's magic. It was faint, and it almost seemed to be trying to hide from him, but it was undoubtedly there.

Merlin walked as quickly as he could. He passed many damaged buildings and abandoned cars. The roads were cracked everywhere, but Merlin ignored all of it. There was something more important that needed his attention.

It took far longer than Merlin would have wanted, but he eventually found himself at the hospital. It was crowded and there were dozens of people coming in and out. A lot of people must have gotten injured during Morgana's attack, but there was only one of her victims that he was concerned about at the moment.

Merlin entered and immediately made his way to the room where Hisirdoux was. He was surprised to find that there were two more beds with people unconscious in them. The workers must have moved the other coma patients into this room to make more space for all the new people crowding the hospital.

Merlin barely spared the others a second glance. He turned his gaze who Hisirdoux, who looked as still as the last time he had seen him. Archie was curled up against him. The dragon looked asleep at first but he opened an eye and stared at Merlin sleepily.

"Wh-what are you doing here, Wizard?" Archie tried his best to growl, but his tone only sounded weak and tired. He must be more affected by the spell that Hisirdoux was under than he had first thought.

"I'm here to help Hisirdoux," Merlin said. He took his staff and held it out over the boy. Archie hissed and slowly spread his wings to cover the young wizard as much as he could. It was as though Archie was trying to protect the boy from him, and Merlin didn't appreciate it. "I'm not going to hurt him."

"You already have," Archie struggled to keep his eyes open. "He's all but given up because of you."

"Don't be ridiculous." Merlin said. His young apprentice was a lot of things, not all of them good, but he was certainly not a quitter.

"He won't respond to me anymore," Archie whined.

"I can fix that." Merlin said. He closed his eyes and focused on Hisirdoux' magic. Once he woke the boy up they could all properly talk to each other. Merlin could make sure the boy understood his reasoning, and Archie could finally relax and stop being so overprotective.

Merlin had never used magic to wake someone up, but he had used it to put someone to sleep. The concept was incredibly similar. It shouldn't be difficult at all. Merlin gathered his power, reached for Hisirdoux' magic, and cast his spell.

He could feel his magic work, and Hisirdoux' magic responded to it, but just when he thought it was going to work his apprentice's face scrunched up. The boy's magic pushed back against Merlin's so harshly that the Master Wizard stumbled back.

Hisirdoux had pushed Merlin away, and yet he was still unconscious. For the boy to use his magic subconsciously like this he must feel like he wasn't safe, and Merlin didn't understand why. Because of their bond Hisirdoux should subconsciously know that Merlin was there. He was more than safe. He had no reason to lash out like this, and yet he had, and Merlin really didn't understand why he was acting out.

Archie gasped and curled closer to Hisirdoux. He looked scared. Archie stared at Hisirdoux for several long moments before he turned and looked at Merlin. Archie didn't look angry anymore, but Merlin would almost prefer the anger to the intense fear.

"What happened?" Archie asked.

"He pushed me away," Merlin said breathlessly. His apprentice had never pushed him away like this before, and now he was doing it while unconscious.

Archie sighed and gave Archie a sad look. "I can understand why, but this really isn't the best time. You need to wake him up, and then he can hate you as much as he pleases."

Merlin didn't believe that Hisirdoux truly hated anybody, let alone him, but he didn't want to argue with Archie about this now. He was right about one thing. The boy needed help. Merlin could worry about what was wrong and why after he had solved the problem at hand.

"I may need your assistance," Merlin said to Archie. If he tried to reach out to Hisirdoux' magic again, the boy would just push him away. He needed another way in, and the dragon familiar was the key.

Merlin expected Archie to hiss, growl, and resist him with all his might, but to his shock the dragon just sat up eagerly. "If it'll help Douxie, I'll do whatever you want." Archie narrowed his eyes at him. "If you hurt my familiar again-"

"I won't." Merlin didn't know how he had hurt Hisirdoux in the first place, but this wasn't the time to get into that. Regardless, Merlin would do everything he could to not hurt the boy.

Archie nodded, his eyes full of reluctant trust. Merlin approached the dragon and laid a hand on his chest. He could feel the magic that connected him to Hisirdoux. Merlin latched onto the boy's magic. He felt Hisirdoux' power struggle against his, but it wasn't as fierce and desperate as before. The young wizard would not risk cutting off his connection with his familiar. At least he wasn't that far gone yet.

Merlin closed his eyes and leaned into Hisirdoux' magic. If the boy was pushing him away subconsciously, Merlin needed to go into his subconscious for himself. It was a dangerous place to be, similar to the shadow realm except more personal from individual to individual. If Hisirdoux really didn't want Merlin around, he would most certainly fight back against him, which would be dangerous for both of them, but he didn't have any other choice. He had to wake up the boy, even if it meant grabbing his soul and pulling him awake.

Merlin took a deep breath, hoped that this didn't end up destroying both of their souls, and used his magic to bring himself to Hisirdoux' subconscious.


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin had never been in anybody's subconscious before, but he'd read reports of other wizards and their experiences in the mind. Some of the reports made it sound not too horrible. The subconscious looked like a peaceful field or a quiet forest. Other reports were terrifying. They talked about the subconscious as a place of hidden dangers and shadows, with trouble behind every corner.

Hisirdoux' subconscious was not nearly as horrible as Merlin had feared, but it wasn't as pleasant as he had hoped either. He was standing on a beach with black sand. There were cliffs behind him, with strangely square looking rocks creating a natural steep set of stairs. The skies were overcast and Merlin could hear thunder in the distance. The sea itself looked gloomy, gray, and rough. There was a thick mist over the sea.

Nothing was particularly dangerous, but one wrong shift could change that. The storm could come in. The waves could get larger and easily engulf the beach. The only escape would be up the cliffs, but Merlin doubted that he'd be able to climb them. The rocks were surely incredibly slippery and a danger in and of themselves. The mist could also be hiding a threat that Merlin wouldn't be able to see coming at all.

What bothered Merlin most about this beach though was that Hisirdoux was nowhere in sight. This was his subconscious. He should be here.

"Hisirdoux?" Merlin would normally try to sense his apprentice through their magical connection, but he didn't dare do that here. Hisirdoux' subconscious was the very depths of his soul, where the core of his magic was. Merlin was a trespasser here. Merlin thought it was equally possible for his magic to overpower Douxie's or for the boy's magic to overwhelm his.

Merlin would have to find his apprentice without using his magic. It would be more difficult, but ultimately safer for both of them.

Merlin slowly walked along the shore, staring out at the sea. He felt a strong sense of foreboding. He wasn't welcome here. The longer that Merlin was here the worse the environment got. The sky darkened and the rough waves began to lick at his ankles. It was only a matter of time before the storm reached him. He had to find the boy quickly.

Merlin sped up his pace, not even knowing if he was going in the right direction. He had nowhere else to go but this endless beach. If the boy wasn't here, Merlin had no hopes of being able to find him. "Hisirdoux!"

Merlin didn't hear a response. Instead there was a strong breeze pushing so strongly against his chest that he faltered. He tried to wait for the wind to stop, but it just got stronger. The wind didn't want him to go any further. If Merlin had been looking for a sign that he was going the right way, he had found it.

Despite the wind Merlin continued walking. He didn't know how long he was wandering aimlessly before he heard something that made him pause again. Music. He definitely heard a lute, or something similar to it, and a voice singing. Hisirdoux.

Merlin increased his pace, feeling hopeful when the music got louder. He was getting closer to his apprentice. Eventually Merlin saw a figure sitting on the ground. Even at this far distance Merlin who knew it was. He could sense the boy's aura. The wind was whipping around Hisirdoux just as much as it was around Merlin, but the boy seemed unbothered. He just continued strumming the lute and singing.

As Merlin got closer to Hisirdoux he noticed something that felt a little wrong. The boy had a very slight glow around him. He looked like he was in a brightly lit, sunny area rather than a dark and gloomy beach. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be ignoring Merlin, even while the wind continued trying to force him away. It was also odd that Merlin was able to hear his music through the harsh wind.

Even when Merlin was standing right next to his apprentice the boy didn't acknowledge him at all. Merlin frowned and reached his hand out towards the boy. As soon as his hand made contact with his shoulder Hisirdoux froze and stopped singing mid-verse. Hisirdoux' eyes shot open and Merlin was alarmed to see that they were bright blue and glowing.

It wouldn't be that odd, as sometimes when wizards used their deepest powers it would show in their eyes, but it wasn't just in Hisirdoux' irises. Everything about Hisirdoux' eyes were the blue color of his magic. His pupils, his irises, even the white parts of his eyes. It looked frighteningly similar to possession, though Merlin didn't understand how the boy could be possessed by his own powers.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked. The boy narrowed his eyes and a moment later his physical form flickered before he disappeared completely. Merlin looked around anxiously. He had just found the boy. He couldn't lose him so soon. "Hisirdoux!"

"What are you doing here?" Hisirdoux' voice came from behind him. Merlin flinched and quickly turned to see his apprentice floating in the air behind him. It wasn't quite the same as when Morgana floated. Where she was intimidating and looming, Hisirdoux was lounging and relaxing. He just so happened to be floating.

If it weren't for the way that the waves were getting stronger and the thunder was louder, and Hisirdoux' eyes were still glowing blue, Merlin would think that the boy was just calmly curious.

"I am here to fetch you." Merlin said unhappily. This was a lot more effort than he should have to put in to wake up his apprentice. The boy shouldn't be resisting him.

"Hmm," Hisirdoux didn't look entirely convinced, which was frustrating and worrying. What had Merlin done to make the boy think that he would lie about this? "I thought you had more important things that needed your attention." Hisirdoux narrowed his eyes at him and strummed his lute, but instead of music Merlin heard the sound of his own voice coming through the lute. It was unnerving, but what really bothered Merlin was the words that he heard.

" _We don't have time to waste on pointless endeavors."_ He recognized those words. He'd said them when Jim and Archie had been trying to convince him to waste his magic on waking up Hisirdoux. Even though he was asleep, the boy had understood him, and Merlin had the horrible feeling that this was why the boy had been pushing him away. He had misunderstood Merlin's words and thought that meant that Merlin didn't care about him.

"You are taking this too personally." Merlin said. It seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Hisirdoux sat up, no longer lounging in the air, and the glow in his eyes had gotten stronger.

"Personally?" The boy's voice took on an echoey tone that sent shivers down Merlin's spine. He used to hear this kind of tone all the time from Morgana, back when she had just started to toe the line between the light and the dark. The echo was a sign of a lack of control. Instead of taking control of his magic, Hisirdoux was allowing his magic to control him.

Merlin hadn't done anything when this had first happened with Morgana. Even the most skilled of Wizards let their magic get away from them every once and awhile. He had assumed that she would improve in time. By the time he realized his error, it had been too late to help her. He wouldn't let the same thing happen to Hisirdoux. He refused to lose the boy the same way that he had lost Morgana.

"I apologize." Merlin said stiffly. He wasn't accustomed to apologizing, but that was specifically why he had done it. The boy knew this about him, so at Merlin's words he faltered and the tempest around them calmed slightly.

"You...no." Hisirdoux said. His voice still echoed with magic, but it was a little clearer than before. "No, you never apologize. You said that wizards don't make mistakes." Hisirdoux tried to be angry and defensive, but he sounded more scared and conflicted than anything.

"And I stand by that." Merlin said. Wizards needed to be confident in everything they did. Uncertainty was dangerous for anybody, but especially for wizards. However, it was also dangerous to be so prideful that they believed they were without fault. Hisirdoux was too uncertain, and Morgana had been far too prideful. Merlin hadn't been able to teach Morgana by example, but he wouldn't fail the same way with Hisirdoux.

"I do not regret the choice I made." Merlin said. He may not have been very helpful in defeating Morgana, but he hadn't known what would happen at the time. He had made the best decision he could with the information that he had. He couldn't regret his decisions. He couldn't afford to. "However, it is unfortunate the harm that it has caused you. It wasn't my intention, so I apologize."

Hisirdoux faltered. His form flickered like before, but he didn't disappear. There was a lot of tension in Hisirdoux' shoulders. He stared at Merlin quietly for several long moments. "You...I know you didn't try to hurt me." Hisirdoux slowly lowered himself until he was standing solidly on the ground. The wind around Merlin calmed until it was barely noticeable, but it continued to furiously whip around the boy.

Merlin took a step towards Hisirdoux, but the boy flinched back, his form flickering again. He was losing what little control that he had.

"If you trust me not to hurt you, why are you afraid of me?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not," Hisirdoux' voice was back to normal, and the glowing in his eyes dimmed until they looked nearly normal. Merlin was relieved for a moment, but it didn't last. Hisirdoux sounded and looked far too vulnerable and unsure. Herlin didn't think the boy had looked this scared when he had saved his life all those centuries ago.

"I just…" Hisirdoux seemed to fold in on himself for a moment before he straightened and squared his shoulders. His irises flashed the icy color of his magic. "I don't need your help."

"If you don't need my help, why are you still asleep?" Merlin challenged. The boy frowned, not looking happy about being questioned.

"I like it here." Hisirdoux said. He looked out towards the sea. Where Merlin had felt threatened by the gloomy beach, Hisirdoux looked content. He didn't seem to care at all about the wind whipping his hair in his face. "I missed this place."

"Where are we, anyways?" Merlin asked.

Hisirdoux allowed a small smile to creep onto his face. "Reynisfjara beach in Iceland."

"Iceland?" Merlin frowned. He had heard of that island. "What were you doing there?"

Hisirdoux frowned slightly and the wind got stronger. "After I left Camelot, all of Britain was just a magic hating mess. I couldn't stay there, so I hid away on the first ship leaving. We ended up in Iceland, where there were still just enough pagans that I didn't have to worry as much about being killed for casting a spell. It was my sanctuary for a few years before we had to move on."

Merlin wasn't very happy with this information. It didn't seem like a good sign that Hisirdoux' subconscious was a place that he had seen as a sanctuary because he had felt the need to hide his magic. There was always meaning behind everything in the subconscious. Hisirdoux had been looking for a safe place, so his mind had given it to him.

"If you're not afraid of me, why do you feel the need to hide?" Merlin asked. "What are you seeking sanctuary from?"

Hisirdoux scowled, his eyes flashing. "Is it that hard to believe that I just wanted a place to breathe?"

"This is not a safe place to get some space." Merlin said firmly. His words just made his apprentice stiffen and glare at him.

"You left me alone for nine hundred years, and when you finally come back the first thing you do is abandon me again." The wind picked up around Merlin again. "You forced me to learn how to manage on my own. You can't just come back and tell me that I'm doing it wrong."

"You're going to end up hurting yourself." Merlin said. "I'm not just going to stand aside and let you harm yourself?"

" _Why not?!_ " Hisirdoux screamed. The sky got so dark that it almost looked like night. Thunder crashed just above them. Hisirdoux' glowing eyes and echoey voice returned. "You haven't had a problem with it before."

Merlin felt terrified, not for himself, though things were starting to become more dangerous. No, he was far more worried about his apprentice.. Merlin prayed that Hisirdoux' words didn't mean what he was terrified they meant. He didn't like the thought of Hisirdoux accidentally hurting himself because he didn't think things through, but what was even more terrifying was the thought of the boy hurting himself not-so accidentally. The boy should never think it was okay to stay hiding in his subconscious when he clearly lacked control of it.

"Hisirdoux," Merlin took a step towards his apprentice, only for the boy to take a step away from him. "Please, control yourself. I'm just trying to help you."

"And how long will that last?" Hisirdoux asked, his tone bordering anger and desperation. "How long until something more important comes up and you leave me alone again?" Hisirdoux seemed to be trying to hold onto his anger, but then his face fell and his eyes dimmed just enough for Merlin to see the glistening of barely contained tears.

"I was _fine_." Hisirdoux said quietly. "It took me several centuries, but I figured out how to depend on myself. I figured out how to trust myself. I learned to not wait for someone who just wasn't going to come."

"Hisirdoux," Merlin was quiet and still. He wanted to scold his apprentice for behaving so dramatically and immaturely. He wanted to reassure him that he didn't have any plans on leaving him anytime soon. Merlin wanted to tell his apprentice that he had adjusted very well to an impossible situation that he should never have had to deal with in the first place. Instead, Merlin said nothing.

"And then you return, and all of that is gone." Hisirdoux clung tightly to the lute still in his hands. "Suddenly I feel like I'm nine hundred years younger. I feel weak, and helpless, and just want you to tell me what to do, and I hate it." Hisirdoux' shoulders became tense. "I had gotten strong, and now all of my work has become unraveled. I don't want to be weak again, but I don't want to spend the next several centuries getting over it. I'm just so tired."

"You're not weak." Merlin scowled. "You never were."

"I was," Hisirdoux glared at him, and Merlin was alarmed to see that the tears were starting to fall down his cheeks. Hisirdoux did nothing to wipe them away. "I clung to a master who always had more important things to worry about than me. I tried so hard to earn your approval when I knew I would never truly get it. I wanted you to give me something I knew you didn't have, and now I'm starting to do it again. How is that not weak?"

"It is not a weakness to want affection from someone you care about." Merlin said. He sighed and looked out towards the water. He wanted to look anywhere other than at his crying, vulnerable apprentice. "What's weakness is not showing that affection to someone you care about, just because you're afraid. In that way, I'm far more weak than you could ever be."

Hisirdoux was silent. He didn't answer Merlin at all, probably because he was too shocked. Hisirdoux was not used to Merlin admitting weakness, emotional or otherwise. That was probably where this whole issue had come from in the first place. Merlin didn't want to open himself up like this. Emotional vulnerability was a dangerous thing when one had as many enemies as Merlin did, but it was a risk he would have to take right now. If Merlin wasn't clear with Hisirdoux the boy's resentment may grow stronger until Merlin had yet another enemy to deal with.

"If the subconscious wasn't so dangerous, I would happily give you as much space and time that you feel you need." Merlin said. "Please, let me help you with this. Once you're awake, I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."

Hisirdoux frowned and played a simple note on his lute. "I don't know what I like."

"Perhaps here isn't the best place to figure that out." Merlin said. Hisirdoux still looked incredibly unsure. There was only one more thing Merlin could think to say to convince the boy. "Archie is worried about you."

Hisirdoux gave a small, weak chuckle. "He has to be, if he was willing to help you get in here."

"He was reluctant." Merlin said. He had been so annoyed about it before, but now he had a better understanding of where Archie's protectiveness had come from. If the familiar had any idea of how Hisirdoux was feeling, it was understandable why he didn't want Merlin to be anywhere near the boy.

Hisirdoux sighed and gave the ocean one more longing look. He didn't seem eager to leave, but after a long moment he looked back towards Merlin. The wind between them died down completely.

"Okay." Hisirdoux said. Merlin held out his hand, and the boy slowly reached out to accept it. The mist over the ocean got thicker and started to get closer to them. Merlin was a little worried about potential threats in the mist, but Hisirdoux seemed unconcerned. The boy closed his eyes and was completely relaxed as the mist came to the shore and completely surrounded them.

Merlin flinched as he felt a magical energy surround him. It took him a moment to realize that the magical energy was Hisirdoux' aura. As soon as he recognized it Merlin felt the energy pull him and he immediately began to feel drowsy. He was familiar enough with dreams to know that if he was unconscious and yet feeling sleepy, like he was now, it meant he was beginning to wake up.

Hoping that Hisirdoux actually joined him in awareness, Merlin let the drowsy feeling take over. When he next opened his eyes, he wasn't in the mist. He was back in the hospital room. Merlin felt incredibly sore and his head was hurting, but he barely paid any attention to that. Merlin sat up and looked towards Hisirdoux, who was shifting and moaning like someone who was being shaken awake before they were ready to wake up.

"Douxie!" Archie jumped onto the boy's chest and nuzzled against him. Hisirdoux grunted and opened his eyes slowly. It took him a long moment to focus on his surroundings, but the boy eventually focused on his familiar. Hisirdoux gave a small smile and lifted a hand to give Archie a slow stroke.

"Hey, Arch," Hisirdoux said. "Sorry for worrying you."

"You're not the one who should be apologizing." Archie said as he sent a glare in Merlin's direction. The dragon nuzzled close to Hisirdoux. "I'm just glad you're okay." Archie's ears tilted back and he looked at the boy in concern. "You _are_ okay, aren't you?"

"I'm getting there." Hisirdoux said quietly. He looked towards Merlin and flinched ever so slightly as they made eye contact. "Master Merlin,"

"Hisirdoux." Merlin nodded. He was relieved to see that the boy was awake and aware, but he didn't think that his apprentice was anywhere near as happy to see him. "I truly am relieved to see that you're doing well."

"Yeah," Hisirdoux gave him a smile that was strained, but not forced. "It's good to see you too." After everything that Merlin had heard and seen in his apprentice's subconscious, he didn't know how true that was. However, it wasn't in the boy's nature to lie so blatantly. He was decent at deception and illusions, but Hisirdoux wasn't a liar. He was just a performer.

Merlin cleared his throat and stood up. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I should probably check in on the Trollhunter." There was surely a lot of cleanup work to do from Morgana and Gunmar's attack. Besides, Hisirdoux had made his conflicted feelings clear in the subconscious. Merlin had promised him space once he woke up, and he intended to keep that promise.

"Wait!" Hisirdoux reached desperately for Merlin's hand. He clutched at it like he was afraid of letting it go. "You...do you have to go?"

Merlin eyes the boy cautiously. "Not necessarily." Cleanup could always wait until later, and there was no point in giving Hisirdoux space for his sake if it wasn't what the boy wanted at all. "Do you want me to stay?"

Archie looked between Merlin and Hisirdoux, not seeming to understand what either of them were thinking. Hisirdoux was tense and Merlin thought he could feel the boy's hand shaking as he clutched at him.

"...Please?" Hisirdoux was stiff, like he was afraid of Merlin denying him. Hisirdoux rarely asked anything of Merlin. He was clearly afraid of being refused and ignored. Merlin wondered if there had ever been a time when the boy hadn't felt so nervous about asking him for something. If so, what had changed? What had Merlin done to make the boy think that he saw him as an inconvenience, and was there anything that Merlin could do to change it?

Merlin gave Hisirdoux a small smile and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "Then yes, I can stay." Hisirdoux relaxed slightly and let go of Merlin's hand. There was still a conflicted look in his eyes. The part of him that wanted Merlin's attention was at war with the part of him that was cautious to open himself up to getting hurt and abandoned again. Hisirdoux' longing for affection had won this round, but that didn't mean it would be so in the future.

Merlin was glad that Hisirdoux wanted him around, but he was open to the very real possibility that it wouldn't always be the case. Hisirdoux thought that he'd been wronged by Merlin, which was fair, but he didn't want to do anything to harm him further. If the boy needed space later, Merlin would give it to him.

For the moment though, Merlin was just going to enjoy the boy's company and appreciate that he was okay. The boy had grown a lot in nine hundred years, and Merlin didn't think he could be more proud of the boy's progress. Hisirdoux had survived one of Morgana's spells and Merlin's carelessness. He had become his own wizard, and Merlin didn't think there was anything weak about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a fairly open ending, but that's the kind of thing that I like, because that's how life is. Things don't really get tied up in neat little bows.
> 
> I loved writing this last chapter. I wasn't sure where I was going with it when I started, but now I couldn't be happier with it. Merlin and Douxie have such a complicated relationship, which means that their feelings about each other are complicated. We all know about Merlin's issues with emotional vulnerability, but I can't imagine it would be easy for Douxie to be on his own for nine hundred years, only for his master to come back and act like nothing has changed. That's a difficult thing to adjust to.


End file.
